Meximayo

I came up with a new concoction the other day when I was experimenting with a sandwich. I wanted the sandwich to have a mexican flavor so this is what I did:

1 cup Mayo
1/2 cup Mild Picante
Salt, pepper, and cumin to taste
Mix it all up in a bowl and spread it on the sandwich.

It was really good and the folks I was preparing it for liked it too. Just a little concoction I thought I'd share with you. :-)

Falling for Fall!!

Fall is right around the corner!!! Yay!! Our mornings here are already feeling like it and I'm SOOOO excited!! I LOVE fall. It's when I make my amazing Pumpkin Bread and Molasses Cookies. My crockpot also gets a lot of use this time of year as I fill it with homemade soups, stews, and our award-winning chili. My baby sister and I try to get together and go pumpkin hunting every fall. It's her favorite season as well. I just love the feeling in the air this time of year. I can't really put it into words, but it just feels cozy. Cool air wafting through the kitchen windows and mingling with the aroma of fresh baked bread or homemade chili on the stove. It's the time of year for cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. There's nothing like that cool air mixed with the smell of Pumpkin Bread in the oven! Mmmmmm!!!! :-)

I can't wait to share some of my favorite fall recipes with you......just as soon as I sneak in one more batch of peach jam. ;-)

Cream Scones

This recipe was originally a Paula Deen recipe (can you tell I like to tweak other people's recipes?). I didn't do much to this one though as it's pretty good as is. I did add more cream and a little lemon zest. If you want a good, moist scone to go with your morning coffee, give these a try.

2 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Sugar
2 t. Baking Powder
Zest of 1/2 small Lemon
1/2 t. Fine Sea Salt
1 stick Unsalted Butter
3 oz. Creme Cheese
2/3 cup Heavy cream, plus 1 T. for brushing
1 t. Turbinado Sugar or Sugar Crystals

1. Preheat the oven to 375 (300 for a convection oven). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.
3. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and cream cheese until the mixture is crumbly. Add the heavy cream, stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough to 1-inch thickness.
5. Cut the scones using a 2 1/2" round cookie or biscuit cutter.
6. Place scones on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining tablespoon cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar or crystals. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes (14 in a convection oven).

Triple Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I found the original version of this recipe on "Brown-Eyed Baker". It's another foodie blog and the woman is a genius. I tweaked this recipe a little and made it my own. It is pretty yummy if I do say so myself. I added more vanilla, switched the chips around, added some cinnamon, and changed the flour. I hope you like it! :-)

1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
1/4 t. Fine Sea Salt
1 t. Ground Cinnamon
3 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
1 1/4 cups Light Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
4 t. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups Rolled Oats
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Peanut Butter Chips

1. Preheat over to 350 (or 300 for a convection oven). Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the vanilla.
4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture at low speed, increasing the speed as the flour is incorporated, mixing only until the dough comes together.
5. With a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.
6. Using a regular sized ice cream scoop, drop the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets about 2 inches apart (about 9 to a sheet). Bake until the cookies are slightly browned and set on the outside, but still soft and puffy in the middle, about 14 minutes (17 in a convection oven). Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for several minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Yield: 31-32 cookies

Irish Plum Crumble

This is what I did with some leftover cooked plums after making jam.



Irish Plum Crumble
Copyright 2011 Brendilly Bakes, All rights reserved

FILLING:
2 cups Cooked Plums
1/4 cup Flour
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
3 T. Irish Creme Liqueur

TOPPING:
4T. Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 stick Unsalted Butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine; plums, flour, brown sugar, and liqueur. Stir until well combined and pour into a square baking dish.

In another bowl, combine topping ingredients and combine with a pastry blender or your fingers until well combined and crumbly. Sprinkle topping over the filling. Bake for 35 mins. or until bubbly and brown.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

NOTE: To cook plums, dice 4-5 good sized plums and place in a medium pot. Add 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 5 mins.

Pot O' Beans & Homemade Refries

I'm going to share with you my coveted bean recipes. I say "coveted" because my family LOVES my beans. I do them a little differently than I was taught by my southern mother. Traditionally the dish is pinto beans and hamhocks, and they always contained cumin in my mother's kitchen. Likewise, I do the refries differently than the traditional mexican way. I use olive oil and butter instead of lard or vegetable oil, and I only add the oil in the beginning with the vegetables. My teenage boys always get excited about burrito night when my homemade refries are involved. I hope you enjoy!!

BEANS N' NO HAMHOCKS

5 C. dried Pinto Beans
4 t. Sea Salt
1 T. Freshly Ground Pepper
1 T. Garlic Powder
2-3 Bay Leaves

Pour beans into a large crockpot and sift through being sure to remove all dirt clods. Cover beans with water and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, add water to once again cover beans (or if your bean water is particularly dirty, rinse the beans before covering with water). Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hrs. Adjust the seasonings and serve with cornbread and salad for a complete meal.

NOTE: Adjust ingredient amounts depending on the size of your crockpot. This is a pretty easy one to eye.


ITALIAN REFRIES

2 T. Extra virgin olive oil
2 T. Unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. Sea Salt
1/2 t. freshly Ground Pepper
Leftover "Beans n' No Hamhocks"

Place oil and butter in large cast iron skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and cook over medium-low heat until soft. Add garlic and saute for one minute. Add leftover beans. Raise the heat to high and bring beans to a boil while mashing and stirring with a potato masher. Once beans begin to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, mashing and stirring occasionally, until beans are smooth and liquid is absorbed (a good hour or more). Adjust seasonings and enjoy.

Stylish Blogger Award

Wow! Thank you to Doodle over at Doodles' Scraps - http://doodlesscraps-diana.blogspot.com - for this award. I am very honored. Thanks Doodle!!




To receive this award the rules to be followed are:

Step 1 - Make a post linking back to the person who gave you the award.
Step 2 - Share 8 random things about you.
Step 3 – Award 8 recently discovered bloggers with this award.
Step 4 – Contact these bloggers and tell them they have won the award.

O-K, 8 Random Things about me:
1. I adore my husband of 19 years and think he's the sexiest thing on earth.
2. I am a born-again, spirit-filled, follower of Christ.
3. I have two grown children, two teenagers, and three grandchildren...which leads me to the next thing.
4. I'm older than I look.....so far.
5. Aside from the fact that school starts then, fall is my favorite season!
6. I sing on the worship team at church, and it's one of my all-time favorite places to be.....in the presence of God.
7. I find solace in nature and love the beach.
8. My Canon Rebel died recently and I'm still mourning the loss. :-(

Who should I pass this award to???? I haven't discovered a lot of bloggers lately as I haven't had a lot of time to blog, but I'll give it a shot. Doodle already has one, or she would be first on the list.
1. Michelle at http://www.browneyedbaker.com
3. Debby at http://3dcruiseandtravel.blogspot.com
3. Kathy at http://kkthesecretplace.blogspot.com
4. Jackie at http://holcombs-go-mexico.blogspot.com
5. Deb at http://smittenkitchen.com
6. Pam at http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com
7. Luisa at http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/
8. Jane at http://thisweekfordinner.com/

I think all of these ladies are amazing and I thoroughly enjoy their blogs!